Streaming Elden Ring Now Banned in China Due to Crackdown
February's immensely popular Elden Ringhas been banned from streaming platforms in China following a recent crackdown on unlicensed titles. The country has been stepping up its censorship and regulation measures as they pertain to video games, allegedly blocking viral battle royale gamePUBG: Battlegrounds on streaming platforms last fall.
In addition to restricting the hours that minors can spend playing video games each week, the Chinese government is strict when it comes to what sort of gaming media can be consumed by its people. The distribution of video games that are not approved by the government is illegal, and the reasons a game may go unapproved are multitudinous, but there seems to be a particular aversion to violent games or aesthetics, narratives, and gameplay mechanics that can be seen as promoting antisocial behavior and beliefs. These restrictions extend to streaming platforms and streamers themselves, with rules in place against perpetuating celebrity culture or non-conforming aesthetics. Naturally, the video games that are unapproved for distribution are also not allowed to be streamed, although it seems that the rules have been more relaxed when compared to the strict enforcement of video game sales.
Related: The Worst Choices You Can Make In Elden Ring
The violent Elden Ring might be more difficult to watch on stream in China now, as Niko Partners Analyst Daniel Ahmad has reported that the country will be pushing harder against the streaming of unauthorized video games. According to a report from Reuters, the unlicensed Elden Ring had previously averaged over 17 million cumulative daily viewers in China, a number that will almost certainly decline following this stricter enforcement. The same Reuters
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